How Things Work

S4

In the process of exploring ‘how things work,’  the students make use of all the techniques and  skills they have learnt so far, to draw an exploded  axonometric or isometric view of an object which  has at least 10 component parts. Documenting  each stage of the process through photographs,  they compose an A3 sheet representing the object.  
Rather than being a mechanical exercise, the  process is engaging as it needs an understanding of  the working principles and materials of which the  object is made, and decisions regarding eff ective  ways to present these. The construction of the  drawing makes use of principles of geometry and  it involves the exploration of different pen weights  before arriving at the method of presentation that  will do justice to the chosen object. The exercise  offers an opportunity to put into practice the  lettering techniques the students learnt earlier.